Mining machine



.fium 3%, 1925. 1,544,070

M. P. HOLMES MINING MACHINE Filed June 21, 19.19 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. P.HOLMES MINING MACHINE June 30, 19 25.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21. 1919 June 30, 1925.

M. P. HOLMES MINING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1919 4' Sheets-Sheet 5 W. Qwv Q --VV 8 N ha B u H .A M. a Q HI Q w June 30, 1925. 1,5440% M. P.HOLMES MINING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fig. 52

Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STAT ES PATENT QFEFECE.

MORRIS 1. HOLMES, OF CLAREBTONT, NEW' HAMPSHIRE ASSIGNOE TO SULLIVANMACHINERY COMEANY; -A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MINING MACHINE.

Application filed June 21,

To all whom it may com-acacia Be itknown that I, MoRRis P. HoLMEs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Claremont, in the county ofSullivan and State ofNew Hampshire, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mining lvlachines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to mining machines.

It has for its object to provide an im proved mining machine and moreespecially an improved mining machine of the room and pillar type. Afurther object of my invention is to provide improved and simplifiedfee-d mechanism for such a machine whereby the mechanism required ismade more compact at the same time that it is materially simplified, andwherein increased facility, effectiveness and flexibility of control areobtained. A still further object of my invention is to provide improvedoperative connections for the flexible feeding member whereby thesumping operation is facilitated. These and other objects and advantagesof my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fullyappear.

In the accompanying"drawings I have shown for purposes of illustrationone embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mining machine constructed in accordancewith my improvement and mounted in transport position upon its truck.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the opposite side ofthe machine showingthe same arranged for transversecutting at the face.

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the machine takensubstantially on line 33 of Fig. 1. Y

1 is a detail partial sectional View of the oil'piston.

Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken substantially online 55 of Fig. v6 is a longitudinal detail sectional view taken on line6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal detail sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig.3.

a Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the machine in use at the face.

In this illustrative construction it will be observed that I have showna machine of 1919. Serial No. 305,825.

somewhat the same general type as that de. scribed and claimed in myco-pending application Serial No. 232,803, filed May 6, 1918, over whichthe present application covers certain improved features. I

My invention is herein illustrated as appliedto a machine of the roomand pillar type including a frame 1 carrying a cutter bar 2 and a usualcutter chain 3 movable therealoout, the machine being slidable over thebottom in a well known manner on a shoe 1 under the action of a flexiblefeed member, herein in the form of a chain 5. The machine shown is alsoadapted to be transported from place to place on a truck 6 driven by themachine motor and herein of the form shown in my co-pending applicationmentioned above. More articularly, it will be observed that a laterallyextending releasable truck driving sprocket 7, rotatahle on a horizontalaxis at one side of the machine, is connected through a chain 8 with ausual truck wheel driving mechanism including a sprocket 9. Attention ishere also directed to the fact that, as described and claimed in myco-pending application mentioned above, the truck driving sprocket"!- isdisposed coaxially with and on the opposite side of the frame from afeed operating or feed driving sprocket 10, and that these sprockets areeach carried on the opposite ends of a transverse shaft 11 which isitself driven from the machine motor 12 and removable laterally throughthe sides of the frame, as heretofore.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be observed that themotor armature shaft 13 carries on its rear end a bevel pinion 14:,which in turn meshes with a larger bevel gear 15 rotatable relative to atransversely disposed stud 16 disposed in front of and parallel to theshaft 11 and, like the latter, removable laterally through the sides ofthe frame through suitable apertures. As shown, this gear 15 is splinedto a sleeve 17 extending laterally therefrom to a point adjacent one ofthe sides of the frame, where it carries a pinion 18, while the bevelgear 15 is provided witha radially disposed gear 19 on its'hub adaptedto be engaged by gear teeth 20 on a clutch shipper 21 upon inwardmovement of a controlling member 22, and to be thereby connected with afreely rotatable member 23 rotatable on the sleeve 17 between the gear19 and the pinion 18, due to the constant mesh of further gear teeth 24on the member 21 with gear teeth 25 formed on the member 23. As shown,the member 23 also carries a bevel gear 26 constantly meshing with largehorizontally disposed bevel gear 27 operatively connected to the cutterchain 3 in a well known manner. Thus, it will be observed that bymanipulation oft-he clutch controlling member 22, the cutter chaindriving mechanism may be connected or disconnected at will, and that thepinion '18 is constantly rotated during the rotation of the motor.

Meshing with this pinion 18, is a large gear 28 freely rotatable on theshaft 11 adjacent the truck driving sprocket 7. As shown, this gear 28is provided at one side with a sleeve portion carrying a smaller gear29, which in turn constantly meshes with teeth 30 formed on a shippermember 31 controllable by a suitable controlling member 32 and havingsimilar teeth 33 on its opposite end adapted to engage correspondingteeth on a gear 34 formed on a rotatable sleeve member 35 disposedsubstantially midway between the ends of the shaft 11. Here, it willalso be noted that between the gear 29 and the gear 34 is a member 36splined at 37 to the shaft 11 and having gear teeth38 thereon adapted tobe engaged by the teeth 30 on the member 31 when the latter is moved tothe left looking towards the front of the machine. Thus it will beobserved that through movement of the controlling member 32 theconstantly rotating gear 28 may be connected at will to the shaft 11,and therefore to the truck driving sprocket 7 to drive that sprocket ata relatively high speed, and that whatever this connection, the sleeve35 is constantly driven from the motor. a

Operatively connected to the sleeve 35 is a gear 39, herein carried onthe-opposite end of the sleeve. This gear 39 meshes with a larger gear40, herein in the form of a spider and'having its hub 41 secured to aneccentrically grooved member 42, in turn having a sleeve 53 rotatableabout the stud 16. As shown, this eccentrically grooved member 42'rotatably supports a sleeve 43 011 an external gear 44 nested withinthe gear 40, suitable bearings, herein in the form of roller bearings45, being provided between the inner periphery of the'eccentric and thesleeve 43. In this construction, this external gear 44 also meshes withthe teeth 46 of a stationary internal gear carried by the frame, andthis gear 44 is also provided with aplurality'of radially disposed slots47, herein four, in which are disposed pins 48 carrying rollers 49, thepins being carried by a freely rotatable member 50 journaled on thefixed internal gear and having a sleeve 51 rotatable on a sleeve 52forming an extension of the sleeve 53 on the eccentric, the elements 52and 53 for purposes of manufacture being made separate and connected bya usual semi-permanent clutch connection 54. Thus, it will be observedthat the rotation of the gear will cause the eccentrically bored member42 to rotate, and the latter in turn will cause the gear 44 to rotatearound the stationary gear 46. At the sametime, it will be noted thatthe gear 44 will have an independent rotation in the opposite directionin such a manner as to cause the member to be rotated in an oppositedirection from the direction of rotation of the gear 40. It will also beobserved that through this compact epicyclic mechanism a very largereduction is obtained, the member 51 being rotated in practice at aspeed of substantially one-twentieth of the speed of rotation of thegear 40.

Operatively connected to the member 51, is improved mechanism forconnecting it to the feed driving sprocket 10. As shown, a

clutch shipper 55 surrounds this member and carries at one end teeth 56adapted to mesh with corresponding teeth 57 formed on the sleeve 51,while the opposite end of the member 55 is provided with teeth 58adapted to mesh in any position of the shipper 55, with the teeth of agear 59 journaled on the shaft, and when the shipper 55 is pulledoutward, also mesh with the teeth of a gear 60 formed on the sleeve 52.As shown, the clutch shipper is controlled through a suitablecontrolling member 61, so that through operation of the same, rotationmay be imparted to the gear 59 at a slow or cutting speed when the teethof the gear 57 are engaged by the teeth 56 on the clutch shipper, or ata fast or machine moving speed when the gear 57 is disengaged and theteeth 56 are engaged with the teeth 60 formed on the sleeve 52. v

, Meshing with the gear 59 is a larger gear 62 ournaled coaxially withthe shaft 11 adjacent the feed driving sprocket 10. AS,

shown, this gear carries within the same suitable friction disks 63, oneset of which is connected to the gear 62 while the other is carried by,a member 64 keyed to the shaft 11 and having clutched thereto thesprocket 10, the disks being adaptedto be compressed by a movable clutchcompressing member 65, which is, in turn, normally forced in onedirection (loading) by a resilient connection, herein a coiledspring 66,and, when desired, forced in the opposite direction (releasing) by apiston 67 disposed coaxially therewith and reciprocable in a cylinder 68formed by a sleeve 69 on the member 64 and keyed to the shaft by itsinner periphery, the whole mechanism, as shown, preferably beingenclosed in a suitable casing 70 fixed to the gear 62 and a collar 71threaded on the sleeve 69; In order tooperate the piston 67, oil issupplied to the cylinder 68 through lateral ports 7 2 communicating withan oil chamber orcylinder 73 disposed longitudinally of and within theshaft 11. As shown, the oil is maintained under pressure in this chamber73 by a pressure controlling mem her or piston 74 movable therein anddisposed coaxially within the feed sprocket 10, and having herein on itsrear end a threaded extension 75 threaded into a nut 76 which is in turnfreely rotatable in a cap 7 7 threaded on the end of the shaft 11, therotation of the member 74 being facilitated by the provision of a handwheel 78. Attention is here also directed to the fact that a fillingplug79 is provided in the end of the nut 76, and that the member 74 isprovided with an axial aperture 80 leading to a chamber 81 at its innerend, housinga ball check valve 82 normally seated by a coiled spring 83disposed between the same and a threaded plug 84 likewise having anaxial aperture 85. therein. Thus it will beobserved that by manipulationof the hand wheel 7 8 in such a manner .as to vary the position of thepiston 7 4 in the cylinder 73, the operator is enabled to control thespeed of rotation of the feed sprocket 10 at both the cutting and ahigher speed through a friction, varying the same as desired at the sametime that the friction performs its usual function of slipping when themachine strikes an obstruction. Here it will also be noted that whendesired it is possible to start or run the truck drive at a slow speedunder the 7 control of this friction, by simply operating thecontrolling member 32 to disconnect the truck drive sprocket 7 from theshaft 11, and starting the truck movement by operation of the hand wheel78, to permit loading of the clutch the usual high truck speed at thesame time being obtainable whenever desired by simply releasing thefriction and operating the control member 32,. Here it'will also beobserved that any loss of oil'from the cylinder 68 is automaticallycompensated for by the improved au tomatic valve mechanism which opensto admit more oil to that cylinder as soon as the pressure therein dropsto a predetermined amount determined by the opposing spring pressure.Also it will be noted that by simply advancing the piston 74 the oilsupply for the chamber or cylinder 68 may be replenished at will.

In my present construction it will also be observed that the food chainconnections comprise a plurality of idlers 86 and 87 located at theopposite ends of each side of the frame and disposed in the same plane,as well as cooperating idlers 8'8 and 89 engageebile with the chain onopposite sides of the chain driving-sprocket 10, As a, result of thisconstruction, it will be observed that when the feed chain is arrangedfor cutting,

the free rear end thereof may be carried laterally across the rear endof the machine and forwardly on the opposite side of the machine inengagement with the two idlers 86 and 87, respectively, to the face insuch a manner as to facilitate the sumping operation, the chain beingdirected and guided without bends substantially throughout the length ofthe machine, and without the ne cessity for removing the-chain orproviding any further guiding elements. At the same time that thisadvantageous feature is pro vided, it will also be observed that throughthe location of the idler 88 between the sprocket 10 and the idlersprocket 86, as shown, it is possible to minimize the bend in the tightside of the chain during transverse cutting.

ln the use at the face of machine of my improved construction, it willbe evident that the machine may be sumped into the coal, as shown, forexample, at the right of Fig. 8, and thereafter fed to the left acrossthe face, as shown in that figure, the feed chain being disposed alongthe right hand side of the machine and, before the sumping operation,connected to a take-up disposed in its position for the transverse cut,so that as soon as the machine is sumped it may be moved transverselywithout changing the connections to the right hand rib and after simplyconnecting to the left hand rib the loose end of the chain, whichpreferably is left around the left front guide 86.

As a result of my improved construction, it will be observed that it ispossible materially to simplify and cheapen the construction describedin my copending application mentioned above, and at the same time renderthe feed mechanism far more compact in such a manner as to provide ampleroom for a controller, my improved epicyclic construction being socompact that if desired even .a drum controller and its resistance,illustrated at 90, may be carried within the rear end of the frame. Atthe same time, it will be observed that through the provision of myimproved feeding mechanism it is possible for the operator not only tocontrol the machine during feeding with great facility and accuracy, butalso to control the truck movement during transport, the truck beingthereby operable either at its usual high or running speed or at a slowspeed under control of the friction, whenever desired, a highlydesirable feature where the truck is starting under adverse conditionsor where the. machine is used when mounted on its truck in pushing emptycars or the like. Attention is also directed to the fact that through myimproved friction mechanism and its interposition between the reductionmechanism and the feed and truck drive operating members, it is possibleto Obtain a uniform torque at all speeds, either when feeding themachine at the face or during truck movement, and possible to obtainthis uniform torque without the necessity for providing any supplementalloading means, and with great facility due tothe action of my improvedhydraulic controlling means and its convenient location. These and otheradvantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearlyapparent to those skilled in the art.

lVhile I have in this application specifically described one embodimentwhich my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthis form is shown for illustrative purposes and that the invention maybe modified and embodied in various other forms without departing fromits spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as'new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination in a mining machine, with a feed operating and truckdriving shaft, a. feed operating member adapted to be driven thereby,and a motor, of multispeed reduction ,mechanism between said shaft andsaid motor operative to transmit rotation from the latter to the formerat three different predetermined speeds one of which is a cutting speed,and friction clutch mechanisminterposed between said reduction gearingand said feedwoperating mem-' ber during driving of the latter at saidcutting speed and at a higher speed and adjustable at will during theoperation of said feed operating member.

2. The combination in a mining machine slidable on a mine bottom duringcutting, with a feed operating member adapted to cooperate withflexiblefeeding means, and a motor, of multi-speed reduction mechanism betweensaid member and said motor operative to transmit rotation from thelatter to the former at different speeds in opposite directions whilesaid motor runs in one direction, and friction clutch mechanisminterposed between said reduction gearing and said feed operating memberduring either drive of the latter and connecting the same during eitherdrive of the latter and coaxial with the latter and adjustableat willduring the operation of said feed operating member. i

3. The combination in a minin machine, with a feed operating and trucirdriving shaft, a feedoperating member adapted to be driven thereby, anda motor, of multispeed reduction mechanism between. said shaft andsaidmotor operative to transmit rotation from the latter to the former atthree different predetermined. speeds one of which is a cutting speed,and friction clutch mechanism interposed betweensaid reduction gearingand said feed operatingmember during driving of the latter at saidoutting speedand at a higher speed and coaxial with the latter andadjustable at will during the operation of said feed operating member.

4. The combination with a mining ma chine, of a truck driving member,,multi speed driving ,mechanism therefor, and means for enabling saidmember to transmit equal maximum torques at different speeds includingmeans and controlling means therefor auto matically acting to maintaindifferent adjustments.

5. The combination with a mining machine slidable on a mine bottomduring cutting, of truck driving member thereon, a motor, reductiongearing, and friction clutch. mechanism interposed between the latterand said member and including operating means adapted to maintaindifferent definite selected adjustments of said friction clutchmechanism. i

6. The combination with a mining machine slidable on a mine bottom, of afeed operating member, a truck driving member rotatable on an axisparallel to a line parallel tothat of said feed operating member,multi-speed driving mechanism therefor, and means between said mechanismand said members for enabling one of said members to transmit equalmaximum torques at different speeds, said means including a singlefriction clutch rotating when loaded at equal angular speed with saidmember at each of said different speeds.

. 7. The combination. with a mining machine, ofa feed operating member,a truck driving member, a motor, reduction gearing for driving saidmembers at a feeding speed appropriate for cutting including apluralityv of elements rotating'on parallel axes parallel to a lineparallel to the axis of one of said members, and friction clutch mechanism interposed between the terminal element of said gearing and both ofsaid members. 1

8. The combination with a mining machine slidable on a mine bottom, ofafeed operating member, a truck driving member rotatable on an axisparallel to a line parallel to the axis of said feed operating member,multi-speed driving mechanism for said members, and means for enablingeither of said members to transmit equal maximum torques at differentspeeds, including a friction clutch comprising a driven element rotatingat the speed of said memberswhen the latter are driven by said drivingmechanism.

9. The combination with a mining -machine, of a feed operating member, amotor, multi-speed reduction gearing therefor adapted to drivesaid-member at different uniform speeds, and friction clutch mechanismadjustable at will during operation of frictional power transmissionsaid feed operating member interposed between said gearing and saidmember and disposed coaxially with saidmember and having hydraulicoperating means.

10.The combination with a mining machine, ofa feed operating member, atruck driving member rotatable on an axis parallel to a line parallel tothe axis of said feed operating member, a motor, reduction gearingincluding a gear having a feeding speed appropriate for cutting, andfriction means for connecting either member to said gear for rotationdirectly thereby.

11. The combination with a mining machine, of a feed operating memberadapted to 'cooperate directly with flexible feeding means, a coaxiallydisposed truck driving member, a motor, reduction gearing driven therebyand having a terminal element rorating at "a speed appropriate forcutting feed, and a single friction clutch coaxially disposed withsaidmembers and interposed between said members and said terminal element'ofsaid gearing and controlling the former.

12; The combination with a mining machine, of a motor, fast and slowspeed reduction meohanism therefor, a truck driving member, and frictionmechanism interposed between said reduction mechanism and said memberand adjustable automatically to maintain a constant yield point on saidtruck driving member,

13. The combination with a mining machine, of feed and truck drivingmembers,

driving mechanism therefor including a motor and reduction mechanismtherefor having a terminal element for driving said members at a cuttingspeed, and a single friction mechanism disposed between the terminalelement of said reduction mechanism and said members.

14. The combination with a mining machine, of feed driving mechanismincluding reduction gearing, a feed operating member, and operativeconnections-between the-same including a plurality of clutches havingparallel axes one operable to vary the speed of drive thereof and oneadjustable during driving to vary the power transmissible and sodisposed as to be subject to substantially equal forces tending to causeit to yield irre spective' of the feeding speed when the re sistance tofeeding is the "same.

15. The combination with a mining machine, of feed driving mechanismincluding reduction gearing, a feed operating member adapted to propel amachine transversely of a face to produce a kerf, and operativeconnections between the same ineluding a clutch for variably controllingthe speed of feed thereby and a cooperating frictionclutch adjustableduringfeeding to supplement the action of its fellow, said' clutcheshaving axes parallel to the same will during operation of said feedoperat ing member and adapted to transmit to said member the terminalspeed of said trains.

17. The combination with a mining machine, of fast and cutting speeddrive trains thereon driven from a common source and including elementsall of which rotate on transversely extending axes, a truck drivingmember on said machine connectible with either train, and a frictionclutch between said member and said train, and transmitting to saidmember the terminal speeds of said trains.

18. The combination with a mining machine, of fast and cutting speeddrive trains driven from a common source, feed and truck driving membersrotatable on trans- .verse axes, and mechanism including a frictionalmeans between said trains and members and driven at the terminal speedof said trains for connecting one of said members with either train. l

19. The combination with a mining machine, of fast and slow speedfeeding mechanism, a truck driving member, friction controlled means forconnecting said member to said mechanism, and a supplemental whollypositive driving train for said member.

20. The combination, in a mining machine slidable on its bottom on amine bottom, of a plurality of gear trains having a common drivingsource and one including only positive clutch means and the other aplurality ofclutches including a friction clutch, and feed operating andtruck driving members, the former driven by said second train dur ingcutting, the latter by the first train during normal truck propulsion,one of said members being rotatable by both trains.

21. The combination with a mining machine, of feeding mechanism thereforincluding a flexible member having oppositely extending portions andmeans for selectively winding in the opposite portions, including a feedoperating member, afriction mechanism controlling the same, andhydraulic controlling mechanism for said friction mechanism including apiston coaxial there with. 7

22. The combination with a mining machine, of a transverse feed drivingshaft, a feed operating member thereon, and operative connectionsbetweensaid member and said shaft including a friction disk clutch of saidmember.

24. The combinationwith a mining machine, ofa transverse driving shaft,a feed operating member thereon, and operative COIlIlGCtlOIlSilOQtWGGIlsaid member and said shaft including a friction clutch' and hydraulicoperating means therefor disposed coaxially of said member. v v

25. The combination with a mining machine, of feeding mechanismincluding a friction clutch, and hydraulic controlling mechanism forsaid clutch including a coaxial piston connected to said clutch'and acooperating piston reciprocable to apply different pressures to said'first mentioned piston. W v p, y 4F 7 26. The combination with a miningmachine, of feeding mechanism therefor, a trio? tion clutch controllingthe same, hydraulic controlling mechanlsm for said clutch, and

means stationary'while said clutch is driving and operative to produceand maintain a definite pressure insaid hydraulic mecha nism. V a I 27.The combination with a mining machine, of feeding mechanism therefor, acontrollingfriction clutch, hydraulic control ling mechanism for saidclutch acting to exertpressure in only one direction with respect to theaxis of said clutch, and resilient means normally opposing saidhydraulic controlling means.

28. The combination with a mining machine, of feeding mechanismtherefor, a con trolling. friction clutch therefor, resilient meansnormally tending to load said clutch, and hydraulic mea ns for releasingsaid clutch. 5 s 29. The combination with a mining machine, of feedingmechanism therefor, a controlling friction clutch, hydraulic controlling mechanism for said clutch, resilient means normally opposingsaid hydrate lic controlling meana'and means stationary while saidclutch is driving and operative to produce and maintain adefinitepressure in said hydraulic means.

30.1The combination witha mining machine slidable on its bottom on amine bottom, of driving mechanism therefor includ ing a motor andgearing constantly rotating during operation of said motor and includingthree constantly rotating elements each rotating at a diflerent speedfrom the other two, a truck driving member, and means for selectivelyconnecting said three elements of said gearing "to said truck drivingmember to effect driving thereof at three different speeds. I

31. Thecombmation with a mining machine slidable onits bottom on a minebotsaid feed operating member and provided with controlling meansoperable at will during operation of said feed operating member andoperative to maintain any desired friction automatically uponadjustment.

32. The combination with a mining machine slidable on' its bottom on amine bottom, of driving mechanism therefor including a reductiongearing, a feed operating member, means for, selectively connecting thelatter to'a plurality of elements of said gearing, and a frictionmechanism controlling the connection to either of said elements andcomprising a friction clutch rotatable when loaded at equal angularspeed with said feed operating member and provided ,with controllingmeans operable at will during operation of said feed operating memherand operative to maintain any desired friction automatically uponadjustment.

33. The combination with a mining machine, of a feed operating memberrotatable on a transverse axis, a flexible feeding member cooperatingtherewith, and guiding means for said flexible member including guidingmembers disposed in the same plane at the opposite ends of the machineand on opposite sides of said operating member, said plane' intersectinga vertical plane transverse to the machine in a horizontal line. I W m iwe 34. The combination with a mining machine, ofa feed operating memberrotatable on a transverse axis, a flexible feeding member cooperatingtherewith,and cooperating guiding means for said flexible memberincluding guiding members disposed at the oppositeends of the machineand at opposite sides of said feed operating member in a single planedisposed at. an angle to the horizontal and intersecting a verticalplane transverse to the machine in a horizontal line. I

35. The combination with a mining machine, of a feed operating memberrotatable. on a transverse axis, a flexible feeding member cooperatingtherewith, and cooperating guiding means for said flexible memberincluding guiding members disposed at the opposite ends of the machineand at opposite sides of said feed operating member and in a singleplane inclined toward the front end of the machine.

36. The combination with a mining machine, of a feed operating memberthereon rotatable on a transverse axis, a flexible feeding membercooperating therewith, and cooperating guiding means for said flexiblefeeding member including guiding members located on opposite sides ofsaid feed operating member at the opposite ends and corners of themachine and disposed in a single plane whose intersection with avertical plane transverse to the machine is a horizontal line. 7

37. The combination with a mining machine, of a feed operating memberthereon rotatable on a transverse axis, a flexible feeding membercooperating therewith, and cooperating guiding means for said flexiblefeeding member including guiding members located on opposite sides ofsaid feed operating member at the opposite ends and corners of themachine and disposed in a single plane inclined downward toward thefront of the machine.

38. The combination with a mining machine, of a motor thereon, a truckdriving member, driving connections between said motor and said member,a feed operating member, and connections between said connections andsaid feed operating member driven by the terminal element of saidconnections and including a plurality of drive trains and clutchmechanism controlling the connection of the terminal element of saidtrains to said feed member and including a frictional clutch forobtaining a constant torque on said operating member.

39. The combination with a mining machine, of a motor, a transverseshaft, a feed operating member operatively connected to one end thereof,a plurality of trains of feeding mechanism operatively connected to saidmotor, one of said trains providing a cutting speed, clutch mechanismincluding a frictional clutch mechanism between said trains and saidfeed operating member, frictional clutch mechanism transmitting rotationto said member at the terminal speeds of said trains, and a truck 'd'iving member operatively connected to the opposite end of said shaftand controlled through said frictional clutch mechanism.

40. The combination with a mining machine, of a motor, a transverseshaft, a feed operating member operatively connected to one end thereof,feeding mechanism operatively connected to said motor and including apositive driving connection and a plurality of trains of feed drivingmechanism, a frictional clutch mechanism between said trains and saidfeed operating member, a truck driving member operatively connected tothe opposite end of said shaft and controllable through said frictionalclutch mechanism, and means for driving said truck driving member atwill from said positive driving connection without the intervention ofany frictional clutch mechanism.

41. In a mining machine, flexible feeding and guiding means, means forwinding in the same at a plurality of predetermined speeds including awinding member, friction clutch mechanism, a member connected in drivingrelation to said winding member through said clutch mechanism, a motor,multi-speed epicyclic speed reduction gearing between said motor andsaid second mentioned member including different elements connectible tosaid second mentioned member to effect driving thereof at differentS3GGClS, and means for selectively effecting such connections.

42. In a mining machine, flexible machine feeding and guiding means,means cooperating therewith to wind in the same, and driving means forsaid means including a friction clutch, a member connectible throughsaid clutch to said second mentioned means and means for effectingrotation of said member including a gear adapted to constitute a track,a gear meshing with said first mentioned gear, motor driven means foreffecting movement of said second gear so that its axis traverses anorbit about the axis of said first mentioned gear while said gearsremain in mesh with each other, means operatively connected with saidsecond men tioned gear and caused to rotate at a less angular speed thanthat of said motor driven means, and a clutch mechanism for connectingsaid member selectively to said last recited means or to an element ofsaid mechanism which rotates at a higher speed than said last recitedmeans.

43. In a mining machine, flexible machine feeding and guiding means,means cooperating therewith to wind in the same, and driving means forsaid means including a friction clutch, a member connectible throughsaid clutch to said second mentioned means, and means for effectingrotation ofsaid member including a gear adapted to constitute a track, agear meshing with said first mentioned gear, motor driven means foreffecting movement of said second gear so that its axis travers s anorbit about the axis of said first mentioned gear while said gears relmin in mesh with each other, means operatively connected with saidsecond mentioned gear and caused to rotate at a less angular speed thanthat of said motor driven means, and clutch mechanism for connectingsaid member selectively to said last recited means or to said motordriven means.

In testimony whereof l a'liix my signature.

MORRIS P. HOLIEES.

